A dispute has arisen between neighbors in Christchurch, England, after a printing business owner erected a large garden room to house a state-of-the-art golf simulator without obtaining planning permission. Pete Bransky, owner of Colour Copier, constructed the 7-meter wide structure between January and March, intending to use it for practicing golf in his backyard.
The soundproofed shed reportedly features a glass skylight, artificial grass, soundproofing panels, an "anti-shock hitting mat," and an impact screen. However, neighbors have raised objections regarding the building's size, proximity to property lines, and the lack of a displayed planning notice. They claim the structure is significantly taller than initially indicated in planning documents and is situated too close to their fences, raising concerns about fire safety.
Mike Wooley, a next-door neighbor, provided photographic evidence with a tape measure, asserting that the building is less than half the 1.1-meter distance from his boundary wall that Mr. Bransky claimed in one document. Wooley stated that the actual construction differs substantially from the submitted drawings and expressed a lack of regard for those living nearby.
Another neighbor, John Allan, echoed concerns about fire safety and disputed Mr. Bransky's claims about the gap between the structure and property boundaries. Allan also pointed out that the building's peak height reaches 4.2 meters, considerably more than the 2.4 meters stated as the eaves height in initial documents.
Mr. Bransky had initially submitted a retrospective planning application in March, assuring planning officers that the golf simulator room would not be a nuisance and that any noise would be negligible due to soundproofing and an advertised height of 2.5 meters. This application was later withdrawn after council tree officers requested further information on protecting neighboring trees. A subsequent application, filed in July, described the completed garden room as "modest" and acknowledged its 4.2-meter peak height, noting its position adjacent to, but not directly against, site boundaries on a concrete slab foundation. The application was open for public comment until later in the week.
Mr. Bransky was approached for comment on the matter. The dispute highlights the complexities and potential conflicts arising from garden structures built without full adherence to local planning regulations and neighborly considerations.